Addressing machine



May 28, 1963 F. G. USSELMANN 3,091,175

ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 28, 1963 F.e. USSELMANN 3,091,175

ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 28, 1963 F.e. USSELMANN 3,091,175

ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 28, 1963 F.G. USSELMANN ADDRESSING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 22, 1959 y1963 F. G. USSELMANN 3,091,175

ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 28, 1963 F.G. USSELMANN 3,

ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 3,091,175ADDRESSING MACHINE Fernand G. Usselmann, 42 Avenue Le Ndtre, Sceaux,France Filed May 22, 1959, Ser. No. 815,083 Ciaims priority, applicationFrance June 9, 1958 7 Claims. (Cl. 10149) This invention relatesgenerally to printing machines and more particularly to printingmachines of the type operating by transfer of ink, throu ghprint-forming elements such as stencil plates, to the underlyingsurfaces of print-receiving elements. Such printing machines are widelyused commercially, for example, for sequentially addressing a series ofenvelopes or other documents, and will accordingly be referred tohereinafter as addressing machines, though it is to be understood thatthis designation is not restrictive.

It is an object of this invention to provide an addressing machine whichwill incorporate a number of advantageous features not present inconventional machines of this kind. The advantages of the improvedmachine include improved ink distribution; greater versatility in thetype of print-forming elements and print-receiving elements accepted byit; reduced space consumption; greater convenience in operation andservicing; enhanced flexibility in operation; improved efficiency,reliability and longer life of the active components; and otheradvantages that will appear.

A conventional addressing machine generally comprises a rotatableprinting member, usually in the form of an arcuate segment substantiallygreater in angular extent than half the circumference, a backing segment(somewhat greater in angular extent than the printing segment) mountedfor rotation adjacent to the printing member and rotated synchronouslywith it. Means are provided for sequentially inserting the stencilplates (or other printforming elements) in between the printing andbacking segments together with the print-receiving elements for example.Means are further provided for supplying ink to the printing segmentfrom a store of ink.

One important improvement provided by the invention relates to theconstruction of the printing segment and of the inking means therefor.In conventional machines the inking means comprise an inking rollerfrictionally engaging the printing segment and trictionally rotated byit. The inking roller may in turn be supplied with ink from an inkdispensing roller frictionally driven by it while the ink dispensingroller itself is fed with ink from an ink reservoir. To ensure a properfrictional drive from the printing segment to the inking roller thesurface of the inking roller must be suitably roughened, and must bepressed forcefully against the segment. This results in premature wearand damage in the printing segment. The inking roller is supported on apivotal lever structure whereby it will be moved towards and away fromthe drum carry-ing the printing segment, and is not rotated when not inengagement with the segment. In the idle periods of the machine, theinking roller must be disengaged from the segment to prevent theformation of a flat or depression in the surface of the latter due tothe high contact pressure.

The contact engagement present in conventional m-achines between theinking roller and printing segment also creates difliculties in respectto uniformity of ink distribution. Thus during the intervening periodsafter one document has been printed and another is being inserted, theink present between the inking roller and the printing segment isexpelled from the contact generatrices resulting in poor distributionover the cylindrical surfaces and unsatisfactory printing.

, anus Patented May 28, 1963 A further source of non uniform inkdistribution and defective printing in conventional machines arises outof the fact that the entire inking mechanism which as mentioned above isdriven from the printing segment, is only rotated during a part of everycycle, corresponding to the angular extent of the printing segment.

Also, the necessity for the inking roller to be disengaged from theprinting segment during idle peniods between printing operations andalso every time that ink is fed from the ink reservoir to the inkdispensing roller, is troublesome for the operator and is a source ofdefective printing and/ or damage to the parts in case of carelessnesson the part of the operator.

Another drawback of conventional machines lies in the gear connectionusually provided between the printing and backing segments, since thenecessity of maintaining meshing engagement limits the amount ofdisplacement impartable to the backing segment.

According to an import-ant aspect of this invention, an improvedprinting machine of the kind adapted to transfer ink through aprint-forming (e.g. stencil) element to the surface of a print-receivingelement, comprises a rotatable printing segment extending over a portionof a circumference, backing means engageable with said segment during aportion of each revolution thereof corresponding to the angular extentof said segment, an inking roller rotatably supported adjacent to therotational path of the segment, means dispensing ink to said roller,means for separately rotating the segment and roller at correspondingperipheral velocities and means for feeding said elements in contiguousrelation between the segment and backing means. 'Preferably the printingsegment in the improved machine is substantially smaller in angularextent than the conventional printing segments, and may be in the rangeof fromv to angular degrees.

Further according to the invention, there are provided separate drivetransmissions from a common motive means, manually or electricallypowered to said segment and to said inking roller respectively, torotate the segment and roller at equal peripheral velocities.

It will be understood that by positively rotating the inking roller,through a separate drive, at a peripheral speed corresponding to that ofthe printing segment, rather than having the inking roller frictionallydriven from the printing segment, a number of the above listeddifiiculties present in conventional machines are eliminatcd. Thus thecontact pressure between segment and roller may be made much lower (eg.the pressure may be derived simply from the weight of the inking anddispensing rollers as will be further explained), and the inking rollermay be provided with a smooth surface, thereby minimizing wear of thesegment. Moreover mounting of the inking roller is greatly simplified.Complete disengagement between the printing segment and inking rollercan readily be effected automatically during idle periods of themachine. Due to the continuous rotation of the inking roller throughoutthe revolution of the printing segment ink distribution is accomplishedmore uniformly. The slippage apt to occur between roller and segment,due to the frictional drive provided in conventional machines, iscompletely averted due to the use of a separate drive in the invention.All this is conducive to more efficient printing.

Other features of the invention relate to an improved construction ofthe ink reservoir and of a manual pump for discharging metered amountsof ink therefrom upon an ink dispensing roller; and an improvedconstruction of backing means in the form of a rotatable cylinder withmounting means therefor which are reciprocated towards and away from theprinting segment in synchronism with the rotation of the latter. Anotherfeature is the provision of independently operable clutches whereby therotation of the printing segment and the feed of stencil elements may beselectively and separately interrupted to achieve a more flexibleoperation of the machine.

The printing segment clutch may be automatically controlled forautomatic selection of certain stencil plates responding to certainpredetermined conditions. Also, in cases where the machine is used forprinting upon a continuous strip, provided with strip feeding means andmeans for cutting the strip to predetermined lengths, all driven from acentral motor means, ready synchronisation is achieved between theprinting, and strip feeding and cutting operations.

Various other advantageous features of the invention will be evidentfrom the ensuing description, made with reference to the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a simplified side elevation view, with parts broken away andparts in section, of an exemplary form of an addressing machine providedwith the improvements according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, in section, illustrating the ink reservoirand ink dispensing assembly;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are plan and elevation views respectively taken on linesIIIIII and IV'IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the same machine as that shown in FIG.1, but illustrating certain parts of it not shown in that figure, andespecially the drive mechanism;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 aresection views taken on lines VI-VI, VHVII andVIII-VIII of FIG. 5, respectively, and

FIG. 9 is a section view taken on line IX-IX of FIG. 8.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 5 the machine shown comprises a lowerframe A which supports a flat table B. A casing C projecting upwardlyfrom the frame above the table supports the printing and inkingmechanisms therein, while the drive mechanism is mainly supported in thelower part A of the frame. Also upstanding from the table B is disposeda magazine D adapted to contain a stack of stencil plates with thelowermost plate resting upon slideways 22 on the top of table B.

When the machine is in operation, a reciprocating stencil feed member(126b, FIG. 5) acts to push the stencil plates sequentially from thebottom of the stack in magazine D along the slideways 22 towards aprinting station. .This printing station is defined by the gap between aprinting segment 3 (FIG. 1) journalled in the casing C, and a backingcylinder 8 journalled in the frame A below the segment. As each stencilplate reaches the printing position, an operator may manually insert aprint-receiving element, for example an envelope, into the printingposition in contiguous underlying relation with the stencil; oralternatively, a continuous strip may be mechanically fed through theprinting station. The printing segment 3 then transfers ink from itself,through the stencil, on to the surface of the print receiving element,thereby producing the desired print. The print-receiving elements(envelopes, strips, or the like) are then discharged from the machine byway of a chute E, while the stencil plates proceed along the slideways22 towards a receiver magazine F under the action of suitable mechanism,not shown in detail.

The inking means for the printing segment 3 includes a top ink reservoir24, an ink dispensing roller 53 adapted to receive ink from thereservoir, and an inking roller 6!? engaging the dispersing roller 53and adapted to engage segment 3 during a portion of each revolution ofthe latter.

The machine will now be described in greater detail. Within the casing Can inking control shaft 1 and a printing control shaft 2 are journalledin vertically spaced, parallel relationship. The printing segment 3 issecured to the printing shaft 2 in a manner to be later described, andis cosntructed in the form of an arcuate 4 segment coaxially supportedwith the shaft and has an arcuate extent of about 112 in the embodimentshown.

Secured on the inking shaft 1 near its opposite ends, as 7 shown in FIG.3, are a pair of grooved pulleys 4a and 4b receiving a respective one ofa pair of round drive belts 5a and 5b driven by pulleys 6a and 6b whichare secured to a pair of aligned shafts 7a and 7b suitably journalled bymeans, not shown, and carrying a pair of inking rollers 53a and 53bsecured thereon.

The exemplary machine here described includes duplicate printing andinking assemblies usable where desired to print duplicate addresses.Corresponding components in the duplicate assemblies are designated bythe same reference numbers followed by the letters a and b respectivelywhere both such components appear in the drawings, as in the views ofFIG. 3. For convenience in the description however, only one of the twoduplicate assemblies will be referred to wherever this does not detractfrom the intelligibility of the description, and in such cases thecomponents will be designated by their reference numbers alone, notfollowed by the letter a and b, it being understood that the descriptionwould then refer to either set of duplicate components.

A backing member is provided in the form of a cylindrical backing roller3, see FIG. 1, freely journalled on a fixed shaft 9. This shaft has itsends secured to the one of its arms of each of a pair of spacedbellcrank levers 10a which are pivoted on a common shaft 11. Thebellcranks have lower arms 1% which are each formed with a hole throughwhich one end of a rod 12 passes and is resiliently retained thereon bymeans of a locknut 21 on one side, and a coil spring 18 on the otherside, com pressed between the lever arm 10]) and an adjustable stop 1 onthe rod. The opposite end of rod 12 is pivotally suspended by means of alink 16 having its upper end pivoted to the frame of the machine. Therod 12 carries a follower roller 13 which is pressed into engagementwith the periphery of a cam 14 secured on a drive shaft 15 journalled inthe frame.

It will be understood that in operation of the machine, on rotation ofthe cam 14 as shown by the arrow, the backing roller 8 will becyclically lifted and lowered by the action of rod 12 and lever 10. Thecam shaft 15 is driven through suitable means in synchronism with thefeed mechanism for the address plates, so that the backing roller 8'willreciprocate in synchronism with the feed of the plates. The roller 8rises to a vertical level just below the under surface of slideway 22(see FIG. 1) and this occurs just as the printing segment 3 is about tomove past the upper surface of the slideway. Then after the printingsegment has moved past, the backing roller 8 is lowered again under theaction of cam 14. The provision of spring 13 permits the necessarylatitude in the amount of travel of the backing roller so as to take upvariations in the thickness of the documents being handled. If desiredthe backing roller 8 may have a somewhat reduced diameter adjacent theslideways 22, for example by having a pair of uially spacedcircumferential grooves corresponding in width to that of the slideways.and merging with the cylindrical surface of the roll by way of taperpolrltions, to permit an increased upward stroke of the re er.

The printing segment 3 is supported from the shaft 2 by a hub memberwhich may be permanently secured on the shaft, and the segment 3 may bevery simply and conveniently held in position on the hub by a singlescrew 23. With printing segments 1l2 in angular extent, as here shown,three such segments may be conveniently cut out from a single drum.

The inking section of the machine will now be described with particularreference to FIG. 2. The inking assembly is generally in the form of aunit 24 comprising an ink reservoir 30 secured in position by means of apair of horizontal spindles 26 and 2'7 at the top of the machine frameand extending through lugs 28, 29 at the base of the ink reservoir. Theink reservoir 39 contains within it a pump comprising a plunger 31vertically reciprocating in a cylinder 34 in the bottom of the reservoirand formed with aligned ports 35, 36. A piston rod 32 is secured to thetop of the plunger 31. The piston rod extends slidably through the topof the reservoir in a manner to be further described, and has a knob 37secured to its projecting upper end above the reesrvoir. A spring 33surrounding rod 32 urges the pump piston 31 downwardly. In order toadjust the stroke of the pump piston there is provided a bushing 38threaded at 39 in a tapped boss formed in the top cover of the inkreservoir. The bushing is adapted to be resiliently latched in aselected setting or position by means of a spring latch 46 cooperatingwith notches 41 in the side of the bushing. When the piston 31 is pulledupwards by action on the knob 37 a partial vacuum is created in the pumpcylinder and ink is drawn into it through the ports 35 and 36. As thepiston is then returned to its lowermost position by the action ofspring 33, on release of the knob 37, an amount of ink is dischargedthrough a conduit 42 formed in the base of the ink reservoir andprovided with a plurality of ink distributing outlets such as at 45. Avalve ball 43 seated in an enlarged chamber 42:: of conduit 42 andpressed by a spring 44 prevents the return of ink into the cylinder.

The top of the ink reservoir has a filling aperture therein providedwith a screw plug 46 from which a shank 47 extends downwardly into thereservoir to serve as a contents gauge. The screw plug 46 is formed witha screw thread of the same pitch as that of the conventional ink tubesserving to fill the ink reservoir to permit substituting such a tube forthe plug during a filling operation. To render the ink reservoir 30liquid tight even in inverted position there is provided a seal 48 underthe filler plug and a gland 49 surrounding the pump piston rod 32.Another seal is provided between the body and cover of the reservoir 39.Vent passages such as at 5B, 51 are formed in the cover and have theirupper ends opening into an annular spaced formed in the stop plug 46 tofacilitate a rapid venting of air during filling. A restricted vent 52is further formed through the plug 46 itself to permit the ingress ofair into the reservoir and thus allow proper discharge of ink by thepump. The vent 52 however is narrow in diameter to prevent, because ofthe viscosity of the ink, the outflow of ink in inverted position of theassembly.

An ink dispensing roll 53 is secured on the afore-mentioned rotatableshaft 7 under the ink reservoir and in a position to receive ink fromthe ink outlets 45. The ink dispensing roller 53 is lined with felt orthe like which is impregnated with ink and provides storage thereof. Theroller 53 is driven by a pulley 6 secured on shaft 7. The shaft 7 iscarried from the ends of a pair of arms 54 and 55 pivoted at their otherends on a shaft 56. The roller 53 has imparted to it, simultaneouslywith its rotational movement, an axial reciprocation by the action of acam disk or flange 5'7 secured coaxially with the roller 53 and having asinusoidally corrugated or undulating periphery which is received withina slot 53 formed in a part 59 secured to the arms 54 and 55 to constrainthe roller 53 to describe the axial reciprocation as it revolves.

The ink dispensing roll 53 in rotating causes rotation of the inkingdrum 6% arranged in frictional engagement therewith and freely rotatableon a shaft 61 supported at the ends of a pair of arms 62, 63 pivoted attheir other ends about the same shaft 56 as that on which the arms 54,55 are pivoted. The arms 62 and 63 have an upward extension 64 pivotedwith an adjustable stop screw 65 adapted to engage spindle 26 to limitthe angular displacement of the inking roller structure. The ink roller68 may be provided with a metallic surface or a flexible lining.

The action of inking roller 60 is to deposit ink upon the printingsegment 3 as the latter engages it at each printing cycle. The drivepulley diameters for the dispensing roller 53 are so predetermined thatsaid roller, and hence also the inking roller 60, have the samecircumferential speed as the printing segment. The proper contactpressure between dispensing roller 53, inking roller 61 and printersegment 3 is ensured by the combined action of the weight of rollers 53and 60, the tension on drive belt 5 and, if this is insuflicient,additional spring means may be provided to provide a more positivepressure.

Other features of the invention including the driving system of themachine, will now be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8. A generaldrive shaft 71 for the machine (which might be the same shaft as shaft15 of FIG. 1) derives motion from any suitable source, manual ormechanical. The shaft 71 drives a lay shaft 72 by means of a chain drive75 meshing with respective sprocket gears 7 6 and 77 which have the samenumber of teeth. The chain drive includes a tensioning gear or roller 73carried on an arm 79 pivoted to the machine frame 81 and blockable in aselected setting by way of a nut or the like. The lay or intermediateshaft 72 is journalled in the machine frame near the base thereof andvertically below the inking and printing section previously described,and carries a drive pulley 82 pinned thereon at 84 and gear 83 as willbe more apparent on FIG. 7. Pulley 82 is connected by drive belt 85 witha pulley 86 secured on the inking drive shaft 1 described previously.

The sprocket gear 83 is connected by a drive chain 87 with a sprocketgear 38 having the same number of teeth as it and secured on theafore-mentioned shaft 2 driving the printer segment. Drive chain 87 issuitably tensioned by means of roller 5? carried on an arm 90 pivoted tothe frame and blockable thereon with a nut 91.

The drive sprocket 83 rather than being directly secured on shaft '72 ismounted thereon by way of a oneturn clutch device which comprises a pawl93 pivoted on a pin 94 carried on a lug 95 projecting from a hub member96 supporting the sprocket S3. The pawl 93 has a nose adapted forengagement with a notch formed in the periphery of a ring 98 securedaround the shaft 72 in order to couple the sprocket 83 with the shaft 72when such engagement is eifectively present. A pushrod 3? is axiallyslidable in the frame by manual action on a knob 1G0 and is urged by aspring 1M to a leftward position (FIG. 7) wherein the tip 102 of the rod99 is out of engagement with the pawl 93. When the rod 99 is pushed tothe right by action on knob 14%} its tip 102 projects into the path ofmovement of the pawl 93 and lifts it out of the notch in ring 98,thereby disengaging the hub 96 from the shaft 72. The sprocket 83 isthen uncoupled from the shaft so that sprocket 88 and the printersegment 3 are not driven. It will thus be apparent that the rod 95 isurged by its spring Till into the clutch-engaging position. It may bedesired in the operation of the machine to pass an address plate throughthe machine without printing it. For such purpose the knob Tilt) ispushed in to produce the aforementioned declutching action at the startof the cycle as just described. Gn release of the knob the rod 99 willbe restored by its spring to the normal clutching position. In theuncoupled condition described above the printing segment shaft 2 wouldhave a tendency to rotate due to the gravity couple created by theweight of the comparatively heavy printing segment 3 when the latter ispositioned elsewhere than in its lowermost position. To prevent suchundesired rotation, there is provided a roller 1% mounted on a lever armN8 pivoted to the machine frame at one end by a screw pivot lit andhaving a spring 109 attached to its other end whereby the roller 1% isurged into engagement with a depression 137 formed in a part rotatablewith the printer segment and shaft 2.

Means are provided for selectively coupling and uncoupling the maindrive shaft 71 with and from the mechanism serving to feed addressstencil plates through I the machine. Such means comprises a pawl 113which may be mounted in relation to shaft 71 in a manner generallysimilar to the mounting of pawl 93' in relation to shaft 72 as describedabove. The pawl 113 has a nose 111 adapted for engagement with a notch112a formed in a hub 11212 keyed on the shaft '71. Just as pawl 93 couldbe disengaged from the shaft 72 by action on a push I rod 99, so pawl113 can be disengaged from shaft 71 by means of a push rod 114. However,rod 114 is preferably actuatable freely to either of its clutch engagingand disengaging axial positions by action on its related knob (not show)in order to permit repetitive printing.

The stencil or address plate feed mechanism comprises a slide partiallyshown at 126b and reciprocable on ways 22 on the horizontal table B ofthe machine. This plate feeding slide is arranged to be reciprocated onrotation of drive shaft 71 through motion-converting means now to bedescribed. A link 127 is pivoted to the slide 1265). The link 127 hasits other end pivoted at 126:: to one arm of a lever 125 pivoted on themachine frame at pivot 124. Another arm 122 of the lever has pivoted toit a pivot 123 a rod 119 carrying a slidable bushing 118 near its otherend. The bushing 118 is urged outwardly against a lock nut 121 on therod by means of a spring 120 surrounding the rod. A pin 117 projectsfrom the bushing 118 (see FIG. 6). The pin 117 is freely rotatable(preferably through a ball bearing) in an eccentric aperture 116 formedin a hub member 115 rotatably mounted on the shaft 71. Theafore-mentioned pawl 93 is pivoted, by means not shown, to the hubmember 115 so that when the pawl is in engagement with the notch 112a inthe coupled condition described above, rotation of drive shaft 71 willrotate hub member 115 and thereby impart reciprocation to the addressplate slide by means of the crank-and-lever motion-converting mechanismjust described.

It will be noted that the reciprocating mechanism includes a resilientlink therein, which is provided by the spring biased bushing 118 on therod 119. This constitutes a safety provision averting breakage of partsin case of accidental jamming of the plate feed slide 126b, and isespecially useful if the shaft 71 is motor driven as presentlydescribed, If the shaft 71 is manually driven, as described hereafter,then the resilient drive may be omitted, i.e. bushing 118 may be rigidlysecured on rod 119'.

A manual drive arrangement for the machine is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 ascomprising a conventional crank 128 and handle 129 secured on an outerend of the drive shaft 71. An idle or end position is defined for theshaft 71 by a resilient latching arrangement comprising a latch lever131 pivoted at 132 on the frame and carrying a latch roller 130 urged bya spring 133 acting on lever 131 into engagement'with a depression 134on a cam disc 135 carried by shaft 71. This latching arrangement may bedisabled by retraction of lever 131 through the action of a small lever136 pivoted at 137 in case of continuous rather than intermittentrotation of the shaft 71 by means of handle 129.

It will be noted in connection with the clutch coupling arrangementsdescribed above that the angular position of shaft 71 in which theengagement of push rod 114- wi-th pawl 113, and that of push rod 100with pawl 93, occur is preferably arranged to lie beyond the endposition in which the shaft 71 is resiliently latched by latch roller130, by a small angle of a few degrees, in order to avoid interferencebetween the pu-shrods and pawls in the idle condition of the machine.

What I claim is:

1. In a stencil printing machine, in combination, a rotatable backingcylinder, a rotatable printer segment eX- rtending over a portion of thecircumference of said rotatable backing cylinder, means mounting saidbacking cylinder for reciprocation towards and away from the rotationalpath of said segment at one point of said path so as to be engageable bysaid segment during one portion of each revolution thereof, an inldngroller rotatably supported adjacent to and radially inward of therotational path of said segment at a point angularl'y spaced from saidfirst point to be engaged by said segment during another portion of eachrevolution, means dispensing ink to said roller, motive means, a firstdrive from said motive means to said cylinder-mounting means toreciprocate said cylinder towards and away from said segment, means forsequentially feeding stencils between said segment and cylinder incontiguous relation with the surface being printed, a second drive fromsaid motive means to said stencil feeding means synchronized with saidfirst drive so as to feed said stencils at instants at which saidcylinder is adjacent said segment, a third and a fourth drives from saidmotive means to said segment and roller respectively to rotate saidsegment and roller at corresponding peripheral velocities, whereby saidsegment will engage the roller during one portion of each revolution toreceive ink therefrom and will transfer said ink through said stencil tosaid printing surface during another portion of each revolution.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said first drivecomprises a member rotated from said motive means and motion-convertinglinkage connecting said member with said cylinder-mounting means forreciproeating the latter, said linkage including a resiliently yieldablelink.

3. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said second drivecomprises a member rotated from said motive means and motion convertinglinkage connecting said member with said stencil feeding means forreciprocating the latter, said linkage including a resiliently yieldablelink.

4-. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first andsecond drives comprises a respective member rotated from said motivemeans and motion-converting linkage connecting each said member withsaid cylinder-mounting means and with said stencil feeding meansrespectively, each said linkage including a resiliently yieldable link,and wherein said third and fourth drives include a chain and a belttransmission respectively.

5. The combination claimed in claim 1, including a main drive shaftrotated from said motive means, an intermediate drive shaft spaced fromsaid main shaft, and a chain transmission drivingly connecting said mainand intermediate shafts, said third and fourth drives comprising a chainand a belt, and transmissions respectively connecting said intermediateshaft with said segment and with said roller.

6. In a stencil printing machine in combination a rotatable printersegment extending over a portion of a circumference, backin meansengageable with said segment during a portion of each revolutionthereof, a freely rotatable inldng roller supported adjacent therotational path of the segment, an ink dispensing roller frictionallyengaging said inking roller and means for supplying ink to saiddispensing roller, motive means,.separate drive transmissions comprisinga chain drive and a belt drive connecting said motive means with saidsegment and with said ink-dispensing roller respectively for rotatingsaid segment and dispensing roller at predetermined drive ratios suchthat the peripheral velocities of the segment and of either of saidrollers are the same, and means operated from said motive means forsequentially feeding stencils between said segment and backing means incontiguous relation with the surface being printed whereby said segmentwill receive ink from said inking roller during one portion of eachrevolution and will transfer said ink through said stencil to saidprinting surface during another portion of each revolution.

7. A stencil printing machine comprising a frame, a printing memberhaving an at least partly circumferential surface rotatably supported insaid frame, inking means operable to deposit ink on the surface of saidmember, a backing member, displaceable stencil feeding means forsequentially withdrawing stencils from a store thereof and feeding themone at a time in :between said printing and backing members togetherwith an underlying surface being printed to transfer ink from theprinting member through the stencil to said surface being printed, anddrive means for said printing member and said stencil feeding meanscomprising a drive shaft journalled in the frame, motive means forrotating said shaft, a first drive transmission from said shaft to saidprinting member and another drive transmission from said shaft to saidstencil feeding means, separately operable disengageable clutch means ineach of said transmissions for selectively feeding said stencils withoutrotating the printing member and rotating the printing member Withoutfeeding the stencils, an auxiliary shaft journalled in said frame, asynchronous drive from said drive shaft to said auxiliary shaft,rotatable elements journalled on respective ones of said shafts,

said respective clutch means being associated with said respectiverotatable elements for selectively and independently coupling anduncoupling.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,180,385 Elliott Apr. 25, 1916 1,552,260 Barman Sept. 1, 1925 1,909,910Elliott May 16, 1933 1,909,911 Elliott May 16, 1933 2,655,103 HirscheyOct. 13, 1953 2,802,413 Carroll et a1. Aug. 13, 1957 2,845,864 DavidsonAug. 5, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 55,252 Netherlands Sept. 26, 1938

1. IN A STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION, A ROTATABLE BACKINGCYLINDER, A ROTATABLE PRINTER SEGMENT EXTENDING OVER A PORTION OF THECIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID ROTATABLE BACKING CYLINDER, MEANS MOUNTING SAIDBACKING CYLINDER FOR RECIPROCATION TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM THE ROTATIONALPATH OF SAID SEGMENT AT ONE POINT OF SAID PATH SO AS TO BE ENGAGEABLE BYSAID SEGMENT DURING ONE PORTION OF EACH REVOLUTION THEREOF, AN INKINGROLLER ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ADJACENT TO AND RADIALLY INWARD OF THEROTATIONAL PATH OF SAID SEGMENT AT A POINT ANGULARLY SPACED FROM SAIDFIRST POINT TO BE ENGAGED BY SAID SEGMENT DURING ANOTHER PORTION OF EACHREVOLUTION, MEANS DISPENSING INK TO SAID ROLLER, MOTIVE MEANS, A FIRSTDRIVE FROM SAID MOTIVE MEANS TO SAID CYLINDER-MOUNTING MEANS TORECIPROCATE SAID CYLINDER TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM SAID SEGMENT, MEANS FORSEQUENTIALLY FEEDING STENCILS BETWEEN SAID SEGMENT AND CYLINDER INCONTIGUOUS RELATION WITH THE SURFACE BEING PRINTED, A SECOND DRIVE FROMSAID MOTIVE MEANS TO SAID STENCIL FEEDING MEANS SYNCHRONIZED WITH SAIDFIRST DRIVE SO AS TO FEED SAID STENCILS AT INSTANTS AT WHICH SAIDCYLINDER IS ADJACENT SAID SEGMENT, A THIRD AND A FOURTH DRIVES FROM SAIDMOTIVE MEANS TO SAID SEGMENT AND ROLLER RESPECTIVELY TO ROTATE SAIDSEGMENT AND ROLLER AT CORRESPONDING PERIPHERAL VELOCITIES, WHEREBY SAIDSEGMENT WILL ENGAGE THE ROLLER DURING ONE PORTION OF EACH REVOLUTION TORECEIVE INK THEREFROM AND WILL TRANSFER SAID INK THROUGH SAID STENCIL TOSAID PRINTING SURFACE DURING ANOTHER PORTION OF EACH REVOLUTION.